OPPO is set to announce a new budget smartphone, but it looks like somebody already pulled the curtains. A new member of its A-series is listed on the company’s regional websites in Malaysia and Pakistan.

The OPPO A71 is the name of the phone, and it has a 5.2-inch HD display and a clean-looking unibody. The rear doesn’t show any visible antenna lines.

Esports added to the official sports for the 2019 SEA Games

The Philippines will be hosting the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) next year, featuring 56 sports in total. The Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (PSGOC) gave the go-signal for the list of sports that southeast Asian countries will participate in. Across the more popular sports such as basketball and volleyball, one sport will be making its debut coming off its stint in the 2018 Asian Games.

As confirmed by numerous media outlets, esports will be an official sport for the SEA Games next year. The sport belongs under Category 3, which is dedicated mostly to regional sports or sports making their first appearance in the event. It’s in the same category as sports like arnis and jiu-jitsu, and the PSGOC will be awarding medals.

Esports made a mark in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia as a demonstration sport. Its success became one of the primary reasons for its inclusion in this year’s lineup for the SEA Games. To further strengthen the efforts, Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan recently visited Manila to meet up with PSGOC Chairman Emeritus Alan Cayetano. Both the PSGOC and Razer hope to elevate the status of competitive esports in lieu of its inclusion in the 2022 Asian Games in Huangzou, China.

The PSGOC recently finished an ocular inspection of the competition venues in Clark, Pampanga. On Friday, the group will host the 11 participating countries, through their chefs de mission for the One Year Countdown Celebration. The celebration will kick off a series of activities and gatherings leading up to the opening of the 30th SEA Games in November 2019.

We first reported about this back in April when the Razer Game Store arrived in Singapore. An expansion for the rest of the region was promised then, but we’re only seeing it come to fruition now.

Beginning November 11, which happens to be Singles’ Day and the start of Lazada’s major 11.11 sale, anyone with access to the online store in Malaysia and the Philippines can purchase from a wide selection of PC games.

This adds to the aforementioned Singapore store, as well as the one offered for Thailand, bringing the total in the region to four. Teaming up with Lazada means there are multiple ways to purchase the titles, minus the hassle of exchange rates and uncertainty with authenticity.

To celebrate, numerous games will be discounted up to 90 percent off. You can find the Malaysian and Philippine Razer Game Stores here and here, respectively.

Apple iPhone XR available for pre-order on October 19

We’re finally on the cusp of getting a more affordable iPhone. All six colors of the iPhone XR will be available for pre-order starting October 19, 12:01 am (GMT+8) on apple.com/sg and the Apple Store app.

The same A12 Bionic chip with next-generation Neural Engine — one of the most powerful chipsets found in a smartphone today — powers the iPhone XR. It allows for better gaming and camera performance, a more immersive AR experience, and more efficient processing resulting in longer battery life compared to previous generations.

Instead of OLED, the iPhone XR’s display will be LCD — a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display — the most advanced of its kind according to Apple. It’s also an all-glass phone that supports wireless charging, and is wrapped with aluminum around the edges instead of stainless steel. The body is water-resistant with a rating of IP67, and is safe from everyday spills including coffee, tea, and beer. Liquid damage is not covered under Apple’s warranty, however.

In the camera department, the iPhone XR sports the same wide-angle lens found on the iPhone XS and XS Max, but doesn’t come with the 2x telephoto zoom lens. You can still achieve that bokeh effect through Portrait Mode, thanks to internal improvements to the ISP, Neural Engine, and software algorithms. In front, the notch that houses the latest TrueDepth camera system also enables Portrait Mode and Portrait Lighting, plus Face ID for security and authentication.

In Singapore, the iPhone XR will be available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage models in black, white, blue, yellow, coral, and (PRODUCT)RED starting at SG$ 1,229 (US$ 892) beginning Friday, October 26 at 8:00 am.

It will also be available in more than 50 countries and territories on the same date, including Malaysia, India, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Other countries in Southeast Asia like Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam will get the iPhone XR starting November 2.

Through Apple GiveBack, customers can trade in their eligible device for an Apple Store Gift Card or a refund of up to SG$ 850 on their purchase. Trade-in values will vary based on the condition and model of your smartphone.